Which web browser should .Net developers choose?

Regular internet users—which, if you are reading this, includes you too—are generally divided over which web browser is the best. Some swear by the nonprofit, open-source Mozilla Firefox. Others are quick to sing the praises of one of the most recent arrivals, Google Chrome. Mac users tend to be reasonably happy with Apple's Safari browser, while many Windows users stick with the tried-and-true Internet Explorer. And of course, there are countless other less well-known browsers like Opera, SeaMonkey and Camino.

For .Net developers seeking technology jobs in Houston, the right browser and the right plug-ins are crucial to productivity. As such, their conversations about which is the best tend to be a little different. Like all internet users, .Net developers obviously want a browser that is fast, responsive and (relatively) immune to random crashes. However, there are some areas where developers differ—namely, browser extensions.

That's why even though Internet Explorer and Chrome are the two most used browsers in the world (with Chrome recently edging out its rival for U.S. dominance) a poll of developers found that the vast majority prefer Firefox. The browser supports a wide range of extensions, including the popular Firebug web development tool and thousands of others. Of course, this may not be the case forever. Chrome is by far the youngest of the major browsers, and if its extensions do not match those of Firefox yet, they are certainly well on the way.

One thing is certain: Developers probably want to avoid Internet Explorer. Back in August, a report by Sauce Labs found that it experiences the highest error rate of all the major browsers.